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WindowBlinds 5 BETA released

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WindowBlinds 5 BETA released

Bring Glass to Windows XP

from WinCustomize Forums

Stardock has released the first BETA of WindowBlinds 5.  WindowBlinds is a program that can completely alter the look and feel of the Windows GUI.  It does so by applying visual styles (skins) to your title bars, push buttons, Start bar, borders, etc.

The most anticipated new feature of WindowBlinds 5 is its ability to deliver glass effects to Windows XP user.  Technically speaking, WindowBlinds can do full alpha blended user interfaces now, that means that skins can have a variable level of transparency.  Numerous new features have been added to allow skinners to do reflective effects, shadows, smooth edges and more to their WindowBlinds skins.

WindowBlinds 5 also eliminates any dedicated processes to it.  When running WindowBlinds 5, no additional processes are needed anymore, it runs as part of the system.  WindowBlinds 5 BETA currently requires Windows XP (32-bit edition).  A 64-bit edition will be available with beta 2.  It should run on any reasonably modern video card. 

WindowBlinds 5 is currently only available on Object Desktop.  To get Object Desktop visit: www.objectdesktop.com.

Preview Guide

Beta 1 Readme

56,696 views 128 replies
Reply #101 from WinCustomize Forums Top
well from hearin these complaints ill practise some patience and wait till the full version comes out (in the meantime i can prepare my desktop... )
Reply #102 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Ok I'm running WB5 but it is pretty buggy! I guess that's why it's called Beta!

I'm running a Pentium D 3.0 Ghz with 1 Gig of DDR2 667Mhz Corsair RAM with the Asus Skin using an NVIDIA GeForce 6200 TurboCache PCI-E Card 256 MB RAM.

All the dialog boxes that were skinned under WB4.6 were okay but not skinning under WB5. I'll attempt one more reboot then fall back to WB4.6 if it's not fixed.
Star Control: Origins
Reply #103 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I have tried everything ,but it still said that I have 4.6 so I give up.
Reply #104 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I installed Windowblind 5, runs nice, but a little slow. The strange thing is that everything but the titlebars and borders are able to be transparent.

It says in windowblinds that my drivers don't support per-pixel borders

Specs:
Win XP Home SP2
2.7GHz celeron processor
512 MB RAM
ATI Radeon 7500 (catalyst 5.9)
Reply #105 from WinCustomize Forums Top
same problems as most
Reply #106 from WinCustomize Forums Top
It says in windowblinds that my drivers don't support per-pixel borders


Then why not update the drivers? I'm sure ATIs website would have an updated driver for you?
Reply #107 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Andy02369 I have the same problem with my Radeon 9250 128MB. Everything is transparent except the windows borders. I have the latest CATALYST too.
Reply #108 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Working perfectly here. My desktop is a thing of sheer beauty

Xp Home, P4 2.66Ghz, 768Mb ram, GeForce FX-5900 77.72 drivers

Reply #109 from WinCustomize Forums Top
hey laoran, I have the latest version of the drivers.
Reply #111 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Installed Win5. Looks great. Thought everything was working well. Tried to play a movie using my Cyberlink PowerDVD Deluxe 6.o. Sound works fine...blank screen. If I move the window, I can see a bits of the menu briefly and then it goes back to a blank black screen. Tried reinstalling the player...no success. Running a pretty recent video card driver on my V9999 6800GE Nividia card. Am going to try uninstalling the driver and updating it...may have been corrupted by Win5. If that doesn't work, I'm just going to reinstall a backup which I made before download Win5.

Anyone experience this or have any solutions at this stage?
Reply #112 from WinCustomize Forums Top
hey laoran, I have the latest version of the drivers.


My apologies andy This whole thing is nuts!! I still can't make any associations with why it does and doesn't work with certain computers. Oh well, that's why we leave it to support I suppose.

On another interesting note!

My brothers' computer today upgraded to WindowBlinds 5 Beta and is running as smooth and flawless as mine.

His specs are as follows:

AMD Sempron 3300+ (2GHz)
2GB RAM
ATI Raedon 9800
Windows XP Professional - SP2 installed
250GB Seagate, 300GB Maxtor

One of my finer creations. But, he's in debt now for about 2 years. Lol
Reply #113 from WinCustomize Forums Top

ATI 7500 cards do not have the ability to use WBs per pixel frames.  Sorry.

Reply #114 from WinCustomize Forums Top
What about radeon 9200 256mb trouble shoot says no per pixel frames is that right running catalyst 5.9 drivers does anyone know?
Reply #115 from WinCustomize Forums Top
9200 card should be able to run it.  Install WindowFX (just briefly) and see if it offers to enable HW acceleration when you first run it.
Reply #116 from WinCustomize Forums Top
tried that neil says its not supported?
Reply #117 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Then you will need to contact ATI and request they add support.
Reply #120 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hey #119 you need Object Desktop in order to get Beta releases.
Reply #121 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Well that's one thing my card doesn't support #113. I didn't know that. Anyway, I don't plan on upgrading to soon because I don't have a lot of money and my computer can run the top of the line games pretty well.
Reply #122 from WinCustomize Forums Top
An ATI 7500 cannot play any top of the line games.  Its a good 5 years old minimum.
Reply #123 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Name some games it cannot play and I'll download them and see.
Reply #124 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Windowblinds 4.90d dosn't work whit PowerDVD, picture gone in PowerDVD when playing movie

Unloading windowblids and PowerDVD works again.
Reply #125 from WinCustomize Forums Top
We believe this is a bug in your video card drivers.  ATI card?